and plants a kiss on my forehead, then lingers there for a few seconds. I can’t help but feel that spark again. That spark that has been blurring the lines between us. I know this is the part where I’m supposed to have that reality check. I’m just too tired to do it today.
Rosie calls for me and he lifts his head, looking to the bedroom.
He didn’t ask about her. Maybe he want me to actually tell him. Maybe he’ll ask later. Maybe I’ve spoiled this by not saying anything. what if he doesn’t want me anymore? The woman he thinks I am is this single woman without a child to take care off. someone he can play with at The Dark Odyssey.
I’m not that person anymore.
When he moves away from me, walks back over to the kitchen counter, and picks up a plate with a little pancake on it I swallow my thoughts. He made a pig face on the pancake with the syrup and fruit. It looks like Rosie’s little pig.
“Eat,” he tells me then he makes his way into the bedroom. Rosie sits up when she sees him and smiles. He’s the first guy she’s ever smiled at.
“Good morning, baby girl. Look what I made for you,” Christian says with a smile.
“Oh wow, it’s Piggie,” Rosie bubbles and starts giggling. “She has no hair though.”
Christian laughs. “I thought we could do a better job tomorrow. I have cool stuff we can use for her hair. Will you be a good little principessa and eat this for me?”
“What’s that?” Rosie asks with wide eyes.
“Oh, it means princess in…my country.”
“what country?”
“It’s a far away land called Italy.”
“I can be a princess there if I eat this? Like Princess Arial?”
Christian nods and my heart squeezes. “You’re already a princess. All girls are.”
Watching him with her pulls on my heart.
I promised myself two things when I left Columbia. The first was to do everything in my power to keep Rosie safe and the next was to make sure I was never again with any man who would treat us the way Miguel did.
In my head being in the mafia was enough of a heads up to stay away, but Christian has made me do a full turn around in my mind.
He couldn’t have shocked me more that he has.
“It’s time to go,” Christian says glancing at his watch.
We’re packed up and ready. There wasn’t much worth taking so it didn’t take long to pack and he did most of the work.
Rosie is sitting on the sofa holding her little bag she always takes with her, and I’m wearing a baseball cap to hide my face.
There’s a knock at the door that makes me jump.
“It’s okay, those are my people,” Christian says planting a hand on my arm to calm me.
His people… I wonder who’s here.
He made a few phone calls earlier but I didn’t catch any of what he said. the conversations were brief.
Christian moves over to the door, looks through the peephole and opens it. Six men are outside. I recognize Salvatore. The others are definitely his brothers. I know two of them are owners of the club but I’m not sure which two. I haven’t met them all yet. The guy at the end looks like Christian.
“We got them,” the guy with the graying temples says and I wonder if he means Brent.
“Thanks,” Christian answers. “I’ll join you in a sec.”
They move away but the guy who looks like Christian stays and comes in.
“Lilly, Rosie this is my brother Georgiou. He’s going to take you to my place. I’ll catch up with you in a little while and bring the boxes. You just get there and make yourself at home,” Christian explains.
“Come, we need to go now,” Georgiou says with an etch of wariness in his voice.
“Okay. Thanks,” I say and take Rosie’s hand. I look to Christian as we walk out and when I see the hardness come back into his face I know I’m right. They found Brent.
We go left for the elevator and he goes right, toward the corner where Brent lives. There’s a muffling sound that sounds like someone’s trying to talk but can’t. I swear I hear quiet sobs too.
We get in the elevator and it goes down. At about the halfway mark I hear it. a gun shot, then another and another, and another. And… another.
There were five of them including Brent.
I think they got one bullet each.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lilly
I don’t know what I